This invention relates generally to signaling devices and, more particularly, to a funeral procession warning apparatus for visually alerting motorists of a funeral procession.
A funeral procession is an organized, solemn, and respectful parade for the purpose of transporting the deceased and mourners from a church or funeral home to a cemetery for a final committal service. Traditionally, all of the vehicles in the procession operate in an unbroken stream and motorists that are not a part of the procession yield to the procession. However, other motorists often times are unaware of the procession and fail to yield the right-of-way or, unfortunately, become involved in a traffic accident with the procession vehicles.
Vehicles in a funeral procession traditionally utilize their headlights to signal other motorists of the procession and various other signaling devices have been proposed. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, existing devices do not provide a definitive visual signal that immediately signifies the funeral procession. Further, existing devices do not provide a portable and rechargeable signaling device or devices that may be operated from inside a procession vehicle while in transit.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a funeral procession warning apparatus having a base unit that may be releasably mounted to the roof or hood of a procession vehicle. Further, it is desirable to have an apparatus that includes a flag that is indicative of a funeral procession as well as a strobe light for immediately attracting the attention of other motorists. Finally, it is desirable to have an apparatus in which a battery housed in the base unit is rechargeable.
A funeral procession warning apparatus according to the present invention includes at least one base unit having top and bottom sides and defining an interior cavity. The bottom side of the base unit includes a magnet such that the base unit may releasably adhere to a flat, metallic surface of an automobile, such as the roof or hood. A hollow pole includes a first end attached to the top side of the base unit such that the pole extends vertically above the automobile surface when the base unit is coupled thereto. A light source such as a strobe light is mounted to a second end of the pole. A rechargeable battery is mounted within the cavity of the base unit and is electrically connected to the light source. A switch is mounted on the top side of the base unit and is electrically connected to the battery for selectively delivering current therefrom to the light source.
A male connector is electrically connected to the battery and extends through the bottom side of the base unit. The apparatus includes a recharging unit for holding at least one base unit and includes a socket adapted to mate with the male connector. The recharging unit is adapted to be connected to a power source for recharging the rechargeable battery in the base unit when the male connector is connected to the socket. The recharging unit may include a plurality of receptacles with corresponding sockets for holding and recharging a plurality of base units. Alternatively, the base unit may include a receiver electrically connected to the battery and positioned intermediate the battery and light source for allowing current delivery therebetween only upon receiving a predetermined signal from a remote transmitter. This allows the signal of a single transmitter to activate the lights of a plurality of base units being used in a funeral procession.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a funeral procession warning apparatus for visually alerting other motorists of a funeral procession.
Another object of this invention is to provide a warning apparatus, as aforesaid, which magnetically adheres to a vehicle participating in a funeral procession.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a warning apparatus, as aforesaid, which includes a flag and a strobe light for immediately attracting the attention of motorists relative to the funeral procession.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a warning apparatus, as aforesaid, which includes a rechargeable battery.
A further object of this invention is to provide a warning apparatus, as aforesaid, which shields the eyes of a driver in the funeral procession from the light rays of the strobe light.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a warning apparatus, as aforesaid, which includes a carrying case that is adapted to recharge base units stored therein.
Another object of this invention is to provide a warning apparatus, as aforesaid, in which each base unit includes a receiver for allowing current to energize the light source when a predetermined signal is received from a remote transmitter.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.